22 Dec TIPS From A Las Vegas DUI Lawyer

Every city and state in the country is cracking down hard on DUI. In fact, the state of Utah just lowered the blood alcohol content from 0.8 to 0.5. For an average sized man, that means just two beers could potentially land you in the slammer. The purpose of this article is to give you a few tips that might get you out of a DUI charge with a warning or at least lighten the sentence if charged.

The first tip is that if you observe a DUI checkpoint ahead, do not turn around and try to avoid it. If you’re within eyesight range of a DUI checkpoint, you’re considered to be within the checkpoint. At every DUI checkpoint, there’s always a few motorcycle cops that are on the lookout for suspicious behavior. So don’t turn around or pull a u-turn. Instead, take a deep breath, keep your cool and proceed to the checkpoint and get in line.

The second tip is that once you’re in the checkpoint line and the cop or cops approach your vehicle and ask you if you’ve been drinking, there is only one answer to this question and the answer is “No.” We are not telling you to lie to the police even though the law in Nevada does allow the police to lie to you. What we are encouraging you to do is only answer the question that’s being asked of you. You’re not obligated to provide a detailed answer.

If you answer “Yes officer I have been drinking but I’ve only had one beer” you’re definitely getting pulled over and arrested. Why? Because you’ve now just provided the police with a legal basis (“probable cause”) to order you out of the car and submit to a field sobriety test. The cops almost always write the same thing in their reports …. “the suspect answered yes and had glassy red eyes.” Remember, the police are generally motivated to arrest people.

By answering “no”, you’re not going to make it worse for yourself. At that point, there are significant odds the officer will let you go if the DUI checkpoint has a lot of cars behind you. Unless of course, you appear visibly drunk or you’re slurring your words. Remember to always address the officer by calling him “sir” or “ma’am.” Drink plenty of water before you leave a bar or social event in an effort to dilute the alcohol in your system and to sort of “wake you up.” Splashing cold water on your face helps too. Finally, keep some very strong mints or gum in your vehicle at all times. The best kind is the kind that is strong enough to neutralize coffee breath. You can buy this type of gum or mints from Starbucks. If the cops don’t smell the alcohol on your breath, you increase your chances of avoiding being ordered out of your vehicle at a DUI checkpoint.

If you do get charged with a DUI, call us at TVL. We are Las Vegas DUI lawyers and we know the law. We’ll help get you out of DUI hell.

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